1938 Ford Customs Rat Rod Pickup on 2040-cars

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Watch as U.S. auto industry springs back to life after lockdown

WARREN, Michigan — The Detroit Three automakers and their suppliers began restarting assembly lines on Monday after a two-month coronavirus lockdown in a slow revival of a sector that employs nearly 1 million people in the United States. On a chilly and damp Monday morning, hundreds of workers at Fiat Chrysler Automobile's (FCA) truck plant in Warren, Michigan, began lining up before 4 a.m. to start the 5 a.m. shift. Signs overhead read: "Let's restart." "I'm a little nervous," said Larry Smith, 53, of New Baltimore, who works on wheel alignment away from the assembly line. "They made all the precautions (and) they've done everything they can to prepare us ... I'm trusting in God." Detroit automakers on Monday said there were no issues with absenteeism as the plants opened. FCA reopened four U.S. assembly plants on Monday, including Warren Truck, on a single shift, as well as four parts plants. The reopening of car plants will be a closely watched test of whether workers across a range of U.S. industries can return to factories in large numbers without a resurgence of infections. General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and FCA have all been preparing for weeks to reopen their North American factories in a push to restart work in an industry that accounts for about 6% of U.S. economic activity. Investors welcomed the gradual restart, sending GM's shares up more than 9% on Monday. FCA shares rose 7.3%, while Ford's were up 6.7%. Auto companies have redesigned assembly lines and retrained workers in an effort to avoid coronavirus outbreaks that could derail production again. Workers entering factories on Monday were checked by temperature monitors. Face masks or shields are standard protective equipment. Jobs such as installing seat belts that used to require two or more workers to get close together inside a vehicle have been redesigned to keep people a safe distance apart. Plastic screens have been installed along assembly lines to separate workers leaning in to the engine compartments of vehicles. Break areas have been reconfigured to keep workers six feet apart. The Detroit automakers have collaborated with each other and with the United Auto Workers to develop common coronavirus safety practices. Other automakers in the United States are adopting similar safety measures.

2019 Chicago Auto Show photo gallery: All of the grilles

Do you like trucks? How about grilles? Like really big, shiny, chromey, in-your-face, could-be-made-by-Broil-King grilles? Well, the Chicago Auto Show is the place to be. Traditionally known as the truck show of the annual auto show circuit (at least those covered by national media), Chicago has what seems like a small national park's worth of acreage devoted to both consumer and commercial trucks. From humble extended cab Ford Rangers to a mammoth F-650 with cherry picker sprouting from its aft quarters, there's bound to be a truck for everything. And they all have grilles. So above is our gallery devoted to them, because hell, why not? Should you want to know about the trucks attached to those grilles, check out our coverage below. Heavy Duty Trucks 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD revealed, tows 35,500 pounds 2020 GMC Sierra HD revealed, has more subtle looks than Chevy sibling 2019 Ram Heavy Duty trucks get new face, 1,000 pound-feet of torque 2020 Ford F-Series Super Duty revealed, adds massive gas engine Full-Size Trucks Read how all of the full-size trucks compare to each other 2019 Chevrolet Silverado First Drive 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2.7L Turbo First Drive 2019 GMC Sierra First Drive 2019 GMC Sierra AT4 First Drive 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie Quick Spin Review 2019 Ram 1500 eTorque Drivers' Notes Review 2019 Ford F-150 2.7L EcoBoost Quick Spin Review 2018 Ford F-150 King Ranch Power Stroke Diesel Review Related Video: Featured Gallery 2019 Chicago Auto Show: All of the grilles View 40 Photos Chicago Auto Show Chevrolet Ford GMC RAM Truck chevrolet silverado

How the Ford Shelby Mustang came to be

Even as rumors swirl that the next-generation of high-performance Ford Mustang will drop the Shelby name, Ford has released a short video telling how the legend of the Shelby Mustang came to be. In its latest installment of its video series entitled Mustang Countdown, Ford dug up some footage from Carroll Shelby to give a little insight into how this automotive icon was created.
While it's definitely interesting to hear the late legend tell the story in his own words (including numerous references to the 1964 Mustang as a "secretary's car"), it's also pretty funny learning exactly how the Shelby GT350 got its name in the first place - a name allegedly making a comeback as the replacement for the current Shelby GT500. As development work continues on the 2015 Ford Mustang, the Shelby video posted below shows that the automaker is always looking at its past - even as it looks ahead to the future.